ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · drill · pitch · bay · wake · staff · vault · wax

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. staff — employees
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. drill — the tool
  9. face — part of the head
  10. drill — a practice
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wax — to grow
  14. face — to confront
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. drill — army training
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wax — in the ear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com